The Okotoks Oilers have faced the Brooks Bandits in each of their last five playoff appearances. This year will make it six.
It couldn’t be more fitting that the two teams will renew their long-standing rivalry in yet another best-of-seven series as part of their maiden voyages into the BCHL postseason.
Games 1 and 2 in Brooks are scheduled for April 19 and 20, with Games 3 and 4 in Okotoks on April 23 and 24. After that, games will take place every two days as necessary, with the Oilers slated to host a potential Game 6 on April 28. You’ll be able to catch every game of the series on FloHockey and The Eagle 100.9.
Although the Bandits have consistently had the better of the Oilers in recent seasons, it was Okotoks that gave Brooks its toughest test en route to last year’s Centennial Cup. The Oilers also have plenty of momentum after sweeping the Spruce Grove Saints in the best-of-five BCHL Alberta Division play-in round.
On the other hand, it’s difficult to imagine any scenario in which Brooks will not be the favourite in any playoff series this spring. The Bandits finished the 2023–24 regular season with a 58-6-1 record and 117 points in just 65 games, good for a staggering .900 points percentage.
The Oilers ranked third overall in the AJHL for the majority of the season but struggled to replicate that success after joining the BCHL in February. They ultimately slipped just below the Blackfalds Bulldogs in the BCHL Alberta Division standings, necessitating that they take on Spruce Grove before advancing to face Brooks.
It’s now been a full 10 days since the Bandits played their last game. Conversely, the Oilers very much have their legs underneath them, having scored 14 goals in just three games against Spruce Grove in the play-in round.
Jagger Tapper (Calgary, AB) is coming off a fantastic play-in series in which he scored six points in three games en route to being named the BCHL Alberta Division player of the week. Tapper scored in all three games and tallied three points in Game 3 to help the Oilers clinch the series.
Christian Green (Boothwyn, PA) started each game of the series and won them all, stopping 80 of the 88 shots he faced for a solid .909 save percentage. Dean Spak (Calgary, AB), Connor Gourley (Calgary, AB), and Jack Silverberg (Sherwood Park, AB) all scored multiple goals for the Oilers in the Spruce Grove sweep.
The Oilers will need to be at their very best to have a chance against Brooks. After taking them to six games in the second round of the 2023 AJHL playoffs, the Oilers lost all 11 games they played against the Bandits in the 2023–24 regular season. Despite often leading in those games, the Oilers were unable to steer home a single victory in the season series.
The two teams played their closest game of the season in Okotoks on March 8. The Oilers led that game 4-3 after two periods but fell behind 6-4 early in the third; then, after Sam Huck (Calgary, AB) and Brett Wilson (Calgary, AB) helped the Oilers rally to tie the game in the final minute, Bandits forward Logan Sawyer won it in overtime.
Sawyer finished his first season in Brooks with 35 goals and 78 points in just 59 games. The Orangeville, Ontario product is one of the Bandits’ most dangerous offensive players and is ranked No. 114 among all NHL Draft-eligible North American skaters by Central Scouting.
Brooks’ top scorer is Mirko Buttazzoni, who finished the 2023–24 regular season with 38 goals and 93 points in 65 games. The Langley, BC-born forward is committed to attend Clarkson University upon the conclusion of his Bandits tenure.
Three Bandits players feature on Central Scouting’s final North American list this year: Sawyer (No. 114), Nathan Free (No. 186), and Keith McInnis (No. 213). Those three are the only BCHL Alberta Division players ranked by Central Scouting.
The Bandits have won each of their last three series against the Oilers (and seven of nine overall). The Oilers last eliminated the Bandits in the 2018 AJHL playoffs, taking that series four games to two to punch their ticket to the AJHL Final against Spruce Grove.
Single-game tickets are now available for Games 3 and 4 of the Oilers’ best-of-seven series against the Bandits. Gear up for what should be a terrific showdown with our selection of Oilers merchandise at shop.okotoksoilers.com.
FULL SERIES SCHEDULE:
Game 1 @ Brooks: Friday, April 19
Game 2 @ Brooks: Saturday, April 20
Game 3 @ Okotoks: Tuesday, April 23
Game 4 @ Okotoks: Wednesday, April 24
Game 5 @ Brooks: Friday, April 26*
Game 6 @ Okotoks: Sunday, April 28*
Game 7 @ Brooks: Tuesday, April 30*
All games at 7:00 p.m. MT.
*If necessary
Photo: Connor Gourley
